Eagles Notch First Win For Head Coach Rich Hilliard With Come From Behind Victory, 34-25
SOUTH AMBOY, NJ–At first glance, the average high school football fan in Middlesex County probably didn’t give much credence to the second week of the 2012 season matchup between small parochial schools Mater Dei and Cardinal McCarrick. Both schools have had football programs that have struggled in recent years, and lost in their season openers although the Seraphs from Monmouth County were more competitive in their loss to Keansburg.
However, these two squads have been evenly matched over the past couple years, and with Jahmal Pryce’s ability to make plays coupled with a Mater Dei team that had the ability to score, this game had the potential of being a real barnburner with plenty of points. Things didn’t look that way early on though as Mater Dei scored on its first four possessions of the game. The Seraphs ground game was able to move the ball with ease against a McCarrick defense that struggled to keep its opponent out of the end zone. The only bright spot for the Eagles was a 93 yard kickoff return by Pryce toward the end of the first quarter that made the score 19-6. Pryce would also throw two interceptions in the half with one leading to a Mater Dei touchdown.
Despite McCarrick’s 25-6 halftime deficit, there was a feeling that this game could be a wild one because there were plenty of big plays in the first half by both teams. McCarrick was able to move the ball offensively with both Pryce and Armand Arnaldy running effectively, but the Eagles would shoot themselves in the foot with a penalty or miscue deep in Mater Dei territory. During the intermission, McCarrick made the adjustments of tightening things up on defense while following through on offense. On defense, the Eagles forced a couple turnovers including one that set up a 25 yard touchdown run by Pryce to narrow the deficit to 25-20, and another that halted a late drive by the Seraphs to wrap up the game.
Pryce was stellar in the second half with three touchdown runs and no mistakes. He almost had a touchdown pass on a slant pattern to Tavian Chukwuani, but it was negated by a McCarrick penalty. Pryce ended up rushing for 221 yards on 13 carries while Arnaldy ran for 146 yards on 14 carries according to NJ.com. The Eagles made big plays on the second half on offense with two 60 yard TD runs including one by Arnaldy to give the Eagles the lead at 26-25, another of 25 yards, and a 75 yard TD run by Pryce to seal the win. Mater Dei didn’t give up in the game, but missed a go ahead field goal with 3:30 left, and then fumbled away another scoring opportunity in the final minute.
McCarrick scored on four of its six possessions in the second half, and held the Seraphs scoreless for the last 34 minutes of the game. The Eagles, which lost 48-8 to a solid Point Pleasant Beach team on opening weekend, evened their record at 1-1, and notched their first win for Rich Hilliard, who joined the staff at McCarrick last season after coaching as an assistant to his brother Ron at Bishop Ahr. While it wasn’t Piscataway vs. Sayreville, it turned out to be quite an entertaining game. Both teams have some talented players, and could improve this season. This contest marked the first time GMC Gridiron saw McCarrick in action since Thanksgiving Eve 2007 when it lost to Bishop Ahr.